The Index I Know
by inkfriends
Summary: "That code I told you," Arthur answers as Lord Death makes his closing comments. Alfred nods and at least fakes interest in what Lord Death is saying, "Good luck with that." "I should be saying that to you... You're not going on to the academy because you don't have a partner, right?" AU where the Hetalia characters are just starting out as Reaper pairs. Warning in the AN.


_Hello! I don't own Soul Eater or Hetalia, so don't sue me, or my wonderful co-auther, who doesn't have an account on ._

_This is Extreme AU! And Alfred doesn't really act much like you'd expect (unless you expect hidden depth), and Arthur is pretty quiet, too. This may turn into slash or yaoi or whatever people are calling it these days, but there will be no lemons!_

_I hope you enjoy!_

A young man looks at the posts on the news board, before one catches his eyes, a grand party for meister and weapons to meet and possibly decide to be partners. He was a meister without a weapon, wasn't he? So he could go.

He stands over by the wall, unlike how he normally acts, chatting and mingling with others. He feels out of place and like an idiot. Here is a grandiose party, with people dressed up in suits and evening gowns, and here he was, at this party, in a regular shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket. 'What was I thinking, coming to something like this,' he thinks miserably, 'I don't fit in here... and now that I think of it, I never went to one before.'

He turns to leave. 'Maybe I'll sit in the small lounge area down the hall', he thinks, as he passes the fragrant flower arrangements that framed the sides of the double doors. It had a several comfy looking chairs and not many people would be there to point him out.

When he turns the corner he notices someone already sitting there, thought he didn't hear him, even from just around the corner.

A boy dressed in an evening suit, sharply contrasted by the cord like necklace wrapped around his neck, attached to the sides of a pair of goggles that sit on top of his blond, shaggy hair.

He hesitates at the door, then continues, 'I don't remember him. Is he new?'

At the sound of footsteps coming in, the boy on the couch turns his head towards the sound.

"Hey, are you okay?" he says coming closer and sitting in the chair opposite, "oh, and I'm Alfred, by the way, Alfred Jones."

"Arthur."

"Okay, Arthur, why are you sitting here, instead of being at the party? You are a meister or weapon, aren't you?" 'Oh no, what if he's not one, I don't know if others were invited or not...', Alfred worries, "I mean, it's fine if you're not, but that's the event tonight and..."

"No, you're right. I'm a weapon, according to their tests, at least," Arthur replies softly.

"Oh, that's cool. I'm a meister but I don't have a partner yet..." Al sounds mildly put out about it.

"As I said I'm just considered one. I haven't been able to change yet," 'at least in public or successfully,' he adds in his head, "so most people call me malfunctioning. I don't even know why I'm here, it's not like I can partner with anyone," Arthur tries to shrug it off.

"I'm sure that's not true," Alfred protests, "I think people should be a bit more supportive, I mean, you might just be a late bloomer or something."

"Thanks, but no. They're sure I'm a weapon, but with how my family is, it's hard to pinpoint what it is, or they are," Arthur points out in a bored and negative sounding voice.

"They? You mean more then one weapon? That's so cool! I don't think most weapons can do that!" Al exclaims, sounding excited.

"Thank you for the sentiment, but it just means that they're right about me being weird," Arthur replies.

"There's nothing wrong with being weird," Alfred pouts, "it just means you're being yourself and not following everyone else."

Arthur looks up a bit, though keeps his face shadowed still, "that would explain your wearing regular attire to something like this."

"Hey!" Alfred sounds embarrassed, "there's nothing wrong with my clothes, and besides," he starts muttering, "I've never been to an event like this, so I don't have anything really fancy."

"I didn't mean anything by it. I was merely pointing out that it fits with your statement," Arthur says calmly.

"Are you just talking to me because I'm the only one here that's not at the party?" Arthur asks, completely looking up. The goggles cover most of his forehead, even when they're on top of his head. His eyes are green, a rather unusual color, even in Death City.

"Hmm. At first, yeah, but you're pretty interesting, so think I'll stick around. Hey, maybe we could even work as partners," Alfred grins.

"You are interesting as well. Most don't bother talking to me once they find out my status in the social community," Arthur pauses and looks at Alfred contemplatively, then says, "I suppose we could try working together, but about the malfunctioning. It's mostly because my type of weapon is just quite difficult to work with, as well as versatile in its uses. That makes it hard to defend against, especially when it goes wild," the last part is muttered.

"But if you're sure…" he trails off, "ACN-01. You'll want to remember that."

"I'm sure it would be easier if you practiced. And why would I need to remember that? It's just letters and numbers," Alfred replies.

Arthur sighs, "I'm sure it would be, and it's a code, actually," he looks at his watch and says, "it should be close to Lord Death's closing speech; we should go," he gets up and begins slowly walking back to the party room.

"Right, this should be interesting," Alfred says, trailing after Arthur.

"Not really, they're normally really boring," Arthur replies, going in and leaning on the wall right inside the door.

"And that I believe instantly." Al turns and leans on the wall next to Arthur on his side away from the doors, "Do you go to these often?"

"No, just these ones really, and maybe a few others like it. As such a difficult weapon, it's hard to find a partner that will work well with me, so my family sends me here every year in the hopes that one will show up." Arthur whispers, "and please, would you be a bit quieter?"

Alfred rolls his eyes and stops talking.

"Hey," Arthur hisses at him, "I didn't say be silent or anything, just please be quiet enough so you don't annoy the people trying to listen."

"Family's tough, I don't see why you shouldn't do what you want," Al replies at a lower volume.

"Hmm. It's not too bad, aside from this event. Besides, this year I have a chance of getting them off my back for good," Arthur pauses, then sighs, "At least on this matter."

"What's the chance?" Al asks curious.

"That code I told you," Arthur answers as Lord Death makes his closing comments.

Alfred nods and at least fakes interest in what Lord Death is saying, "Good luck with that."

"I should be saying that to you... You're not going on to the academy because you don't have a partner, right? Want to meet to talk tomorrow?"

Al nods, turning all of his attention away from Lord Death, "if you pick the place I'll set the time?"

"There's a nice little cafe down on Undertaker Av., will that work?"

"I know the place," Alfred hmms, "would one work for you?"

"13:00? Yes, that would work."

"13 hundred?"

"One in the afternoon on a 24 hour clock," Arthur replies.

Alfred makes a 'OH' face.

"I suppose I can't expect you to know things like that. It's not used much after all," Arthur says. "The room's mostly clear. Shall we go, now that we won't be trampled?"

"If not many people use it, why do you?" Al asks as he goes through the doors.

"Well, because it's more accurate, I'd guess. If I'd just said one, you would assume afternoon, due to the fact that the cafe wouldn't be open. But if I said, say 8, it could be either in the morning or afternoon. Where as using the 24 hour clock, 8:00 is in the morning and 20:00 is in the afternoon," Arthur responds going a bit into explanation mode as he follows Alfred out.

Al smiles bemused, "you're going to do this often, aren't ya?"

Arthur asks, "do what?"

"Long winded explanations. I can tell you're full of 'em," Alfred's grinning.

"If you would prefer I didn't, just say so and I'll stop," Arthur says evenly.

"Naw. It would be wrong of me to. You have a right to say what you want, just like everybody else. Maybe with the exception of idiots..." Al trails off, before shaking his head. "See you tomorrow then."

Arthur nods, "see you tomorrow."

Alfred waves over his shoulder as he walks away. He has the 'cat with the cream' grin.

Arthur raises a brow and walks in the opposite direction. On the way he tries to figure out how to explain to his folks that he was meeting with a meister the next day in such a way that they won't a) tag along or b) make him late.


End file.
